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Science

Martin68

(25,594 posts)

8. Science starts with science. Not intuitions and feelings. It forms hypotheses based on observed phenomena. This

Reply to Uncle Joe (Reply #7)

Fri Mar 21, 2025, 05:17 PM

Mar 21

story does not mention a single reason to believe that individual atoms have consciousness. Science is looking for consciousness in the brain where a hundred billion connections among 100 trillion neurons that form the neural networks. Scientists believe consciousness is a function of the complexity of those electrical connections in the brain. The only sense in which we can say atoms are "involved" in consciousness is the fact that neurons, and all matter, are composed of molecules.

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Science is shattering our intuitions about consciousness Annaka Harris [View all] Uncle Joe Mar 21 OP

Link to the "Big Think" site. erronis Mar 21 #1

Seems Faux pas Mar 21 #2

Disappointing. 10 minutes of words, few facts, no explanation of the "all-pervading force" idea. . . .nt Bernardo de La Paz Mar 21 #3

Annaka is freaking awesome stoned Mar 21 #4

It's so interesting because this is the premise set out Mike 03 Mar 21 #5

It's a good explanation. Enlightening! Thanks Easterncedar Mar 22 #16

Ummm, this has nothing to do with science. New Age woo. Martin68 Mar 21 #6

Doesn't science start with questions and hypothesis? Uncle Joe Mar 21 #7

Science starts with science. Not intuitions and feelings. It forms hypotheses based on observed phenomena. This Martin68 Mar 21 #8

and in turn atoms are composed of sub-atomic particles Uncle Joe Mar 21 #9

The farther down you break it, the farther you get from consciousness. This is pure woo. Martin68 Mar 21 #10

Do the leaves on some plants turn toward sunlight? Uncle Joe Mar 21 #11

Just a note: biochemistry can explain phototropism. Jim__ Mar 21 #13

That's a clear "no." It is a chemical reaction within chloroplasts. No consciousness is needed, just as we breathe Martin68 Mar 21 #14

Doesn't the brain operate by chemical reactions? Uncle Joe Mar 21 #15

Yup. The key point is that consciousness rises out of complexity. Individual atoms are not conscious. Individual neurons Martin68 Mar 22 #17

Panpsychism? Jim__ Mar 21 #12

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